Jan Hus

1 8.7

A Czech religious leader who criticized the Catholic Church and is executed for beliefs the Church calls wrong

proper noun

: Jan Hus

Jan Hus is remembered as a national hero in the Czech Republic for his role in religious reform.

Examples

Historians study the trial and execution of Jan Hus as a key moment leading to the Protestant Reformation.
The teachings of Jan Hus influenced later figures such as Martin Luther.
The teachings of Jan Hus inspired many reformers.
Did Jan Hus really challenge the authority of the Pope?
Jan Hus is remembered as a national hero in the Czech Republic for his role in religious reform.
Historians study the trial and execution of Jan Hus as a key moment leading to the Protestant Reformation.
The teachings of Jan Hus influenced later figures such as Martin Luther.

Synonyms

John Huss

vsJan Hus

1 9.5

A Czech religious leader who criticized the Catholic Church and was burned at the stake for his beliefs

is the same figure but uses a different name spelling

Surface Forms

Jan Hus main

Morphology

Jan + Hus

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person, so its meaning is referential rather than compositional. Knowing the separate name parts 'Jan' and 'Hus' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical information (Czech reformer executed for heresy), so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Jan Hus was a Czech priest who spoke out against the powerful Catholic Church and said the Church needed to change; he was put on trial and burned at the stake in 1415. Because he died for his beliefs, people remember Jan Hus as an early leader of religious reform and a symbol of courage.